Our history

Melkevoll Bretun Camping is part of the Melkevoll farm. This farm is on the size of 8km2, where 2/3 are located in the Jostedal Glacier National Park.

The familiy on this land have a history 400 years in a direct line.

When you visit us here, you are also stepping in to a private own land and area, with deep roots and traditions.

Source pictures: Vestland fylkesarkiv

  • Horse & carriage

    Since the late 1800 the local people in Oldedalen have transported travellers to see the glaciers.

  • Melkevoll farm

    An early view of the houses at Melkevoll farm. The Melkevoll glacier further down the valley.

  • From Oldedalen

  • From Myklebust and Melkevoll towards Melkevoll glacier

1971 - 1987

The start of the camping

On Melkevoll and in the Oldedalen valley we have a long tradition to welcome travelers and tourists.
Our grandparents, Johanna & Anders Melkevoll, invited mountaineers for dinner and overnight stay after crossing the Jostedal glacier. In 1971 they founded Melkevoll camping at the inner end of the Oldedalen valley. They built a small sanitary house and the three small cabins.

Johanna and Anders were in charge of the Melkevoll farm at this time. In addition to farm work with goats, sheep and other animals, and transport with horse and carriage to the Briksdal glacier
We still have guests who remember Johanna & Anders and the cosy small place Melkevoll camping was at this time.

In 1971 Anders & Johanna Melkevoll started the campsite on the side of farming with goats, sheep, bulls and tourist transport with horses & carriage. On the left picture is Inge Melkevoll as a small boy. He took later over the farm Melkevoll in 1987. Together with his wife Gro they built Melkevoll Bretun like it is today.

Melkevoll farm has also always been involved with the transportation of tourist to Briksdal glacier. In 19….our great grandfather Ingebrikt Melkevoll participated in building the road from Briksdal to the glacier, - where the open cars drive now. All farmers in Oldedalen valley contributed, and from this got rights to drive horse and carriage and later cars here.
This company is owned by the locals in the valley, and therefore the travellers contribute to the whole society here. This is a sustainable and good way of organizing the activities here.
Oldedalen skyss are an over 100 year successful company, that now transport travelllers with the open cars in Briksdal.

Horse & carriage

Oldedalen Skyss

1987 - 2025

Later their son, Inge Melkevoll, took over the Melkevoll farm in 1987. He and his wife Gro Melkevoll did a lot of work on the ground and expanded the campsite to what Melkevoll Bretun is today.
An important intention with this work was to build everything in harmony with nature.
It is a tremendous work behind everything that we now can enjoy around us in the woods under the mountains, in between stones, caves and rivers.

In 1990 the big cabins 1, 2 and 3 was built and was renovated in 2024.
In 1995 the reception building was built. The cafè area as added to this building in 2000, and renovated in 2023 and 2024.
In 2000 the old - style barn house “Utelada”, with kitchen and fireplace was built, with renovated kitchen in 2024.
In 2001 the Stone Cave was created
In 2010 cabin 4 was built, and renovated in 2024.
In 2011 the trail “Inforama” with the viewpoint was created.
In 2018 the Blue Mountain Hall was built.

The bouldering area was created by glacier guides and climbers who had their base at Melkevoll Bretun in late -90s and early 2000. At this time we also could offer glacier guiding. This activity ended at the same time as the horses was no longer in Briksdal 2003.

2020 - now

In 2018 when the Blue Mountain Hall was built, Frank and Johanne B. Melkevoll moved back to Oldedalen to settle with their little family. Since 2010 we had held yoga classes and also courses and retreat at Melkevoll Bretun. From 2020 we took over the camping, and from 2025 also the owners of Melkevoll and Bretunet.
So a new generation is now creating and sharing on this land, and we welcome to come visit us here to experience the amazing nature here.

Greetings,

Johanne & Frank B. Melkevoll